English Standard Version
1 Samuel 22:15
15Is today the first time that I have inquired of God for him? No! Let not the king impute anything to his servant or to all the house of my father, for your servant has known nothing of all this, much or little."
1 Samuel 22:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Did I then begin to enquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the king impute any thing unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew nothing of all this, less or more.
- New International Version (NIV)Was that day the first time I inquired of God for him? Of course not! Let not the king accuse your servant or any of his father’s family, for your servant knows nothing at all about this whole affair.”
- New King James Version (NKJV)Did I then begin to inquire of God for him? Far be it from me! Let not the king impute anything to his servant, or to any in the house of my father. For your servant knew nothing of all this, little or much.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)This was certainly not the first time I had consulted God for him! May the king not accuse me and my family in this matter, for I knew nothing at all of any plot against you.”
Context of 1 Samuel 22:15
13And Saul said to him, "Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread and a sword and have inquired of God for him, so that he has risen against me, to lie in wait, as at this day?" 14Then Ahimelech answered the king, "And who among all your servants is so faithful as David, who is the king's son-in-law, and captain over your bodyguard, and honored in your house? Is today the first time that I have inquired of God for him? No! Let not the king impute anything to his servant or to all the house of my father, for your servant has known nothing of all this, much or little." 16And the king said, "You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father's house." 17And the king said to the guard who stood about him, "Turn and kill the priests of the Lord, because their hand also is with David, and they knew that he fled and did not disclose it to me." But the servants of the king would not put out their hand to strike the priests of the Lord.
Read all of 1 Samuel 221 Samuel 22:15 word by word
הַיּ֧וֹם הַחִלֹּ֛תִי לִשְׁאָל ל֥וֹ בֵאלֹהִ֖ים חָלִ֣ילָה לִּ֑י אַל־יָשֵׂם֩ הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ בְּעַבְדּ֤וֹ דָבָר֙ בְּכָל־בֵּ֣ית אָבִ֔י כִּ֠י לֹֽא־יָדַ֤ע עַבְדְּךָ֙ בְּכָל־זֹ֔את דָּבָ֥ר קָטֹ֖ן א֥וֹ גָדֽוֹל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Did I thenיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- beginחָלַלchâlal · to profane/begin: beginH2490
- to enquireשָׁאַלshâ'al shâ'êl · to askH7592
- of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- for him? be it far from meחָלִ֫ילָהchâlîylâh châlilâh · forbidH2486
- let not the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- imputeשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: putH7760
- thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
- unto his servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- to all the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
- of my fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
- knewיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- of all this, lessקָטֹןqâţân qâţôn · smallH6996
- or moreגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 22:15
- Genesis 20:5Did he not himself say to me, 'She is my sister'? And she herself said, 'He is my brother.' In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this."
- 2 Samuel 15:11With Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem who were invited guests, and they went in their innocence and knew nothing.
- 2 Corinthians 1:12For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you.
- 1 Peter 3:16having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.
- 1 Samuel 25:36And Abigail came to Nabal, and behold, he was holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal's heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk. So she told him nothing at all until the morning light.
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 22:15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Did I then begin to inquire of God - He probably means that his inquiring now for David was no new thing, having often done so before, and without ever being informed it was either wrong in itself, or displeasing to the king. Nor is it likely that Ahimelech knew of any disagreement between Saul and David. He knew him to be the king's son-in-law, and he treated him as such.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Did I then begin - Some lay the stress upon the word “begin,” as though Ahimelech‘s justification was that he had often before inquired of the Lord for David when employed on the king‘s affairs. But it is much better to understand the words as Ahimelech‘s solemn denial of having inquired of the Lord for David, a duty which he owed to Saul alone as king of Israel. The force of the word “begin” lies in this, that it would have been his first act of…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-19Verses 6-19 See the nature of jealous malice and its pitiful arts. Saul looks upon all about him as his enemies, because they do not just say as he says. In Ahimelech's answer to Saul we have the language of conscious innocence. But what wickedness will not the evil spirit hurry men to when he gets the dominion! Saul alleges that which was utterly false and unproved. But the most bloody tyrants have found instruments of their cruelty as barbarous as…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-23Saul’s character is clear here. He could not take revenge on David himself. Instead, Saul killed those he believed had helped David.Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 22:15
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 22
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries